Production of fiber articles



Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES 'MEYRL ur. rnosr, or cArAc, mcnrean PRODUCTION OF FIBER ARTICLES No Drawing. Application filed August 20, 1927, Serial lfil'o. 214,441. Renewed May -The present invention relates to the production of articles of compressed fibrous materials and particularly to a process of producing such articles and the articles produced thereby.

Among the objects of the invention is an article of manufacture which is extremely compact, tough, waterproof and capable of taking an excellent finish.

Other objects will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description.

Heretofore, such articles of manufacture as chair or toilet seats, doors, boxes and the 5 like have been usually made of wood pieces lued or otherwise secured together. \Vood as been considered the only suitable material because of its plentifulness and also because of its low heat conductivity. However, due to its property of absorbing moisture, it is difficult if not impossible to build up an article, such as a toilet seat, from pieces of Wood glued together and have the pieces adhere permanently.

The present process produces an article that is not built up of pieces but is of homogeneous composition, water proof and has all of the advantageous properties of wood.

The process is carried out by first forming a fluent pulp of fibrous material, such as ground wood pulp or pulp of rag fiber, wastepaper, hemp, jute or even asbestos. The

pulp is beat up to a liquid form by adding a solution of casein and borax thinned down with water to thejdesired consistency. This pulp after heating is put into suitable dies and pressed under the desiredpressure referably 300 to 500 pounds per square incl depending on the article to be formed. This article is then removed from the dies and I allowed to dry. After drying the article is then dipped in a bath of formaldehyde which actschemically the article practically water proof.

herein set forth but only by the scope of the claims which follow.

upon the casein and makes Now having described this invention and I claim 1. The process of producing homogeneous I fiber articles which consist in forming a pulp of the fiber in finely divided conditions with Water mixing with said pulp casein and borax expressing said water therefrom, drying and subjecting the molded article to an ilnpregnation treatment with formaldhyde.

2. The process of producin homogeneous. fiber articles which consist in orming a pulp of the fiber in finely divided conditions With water mixing with said pulp casein and borax expressing said water and molding the fiber under a pressure of up to 600 pounds per square inch drying and subjecting the molded article to an impregnation bath with formal dehyde. I

3. An article of manufacture comprising a hard tough body of'finely divided organic fiber and casein and borax with at, least a superficial impregnation of formaldehyde.

MEYRL M. FROST. 

